Trace-hitch.



T J. JOHNSON & J. G. LUCAS. v

TRACE 11mm APPLICATION FYILED MAY '7, 1912. 1,051, 1 1 5 Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

- INVENTORS ThomosJ.Johnson John C. Lu cas ,4 TTOR/VEYS WITNESSES a he THOMAS J. JOHNSON AND JOHN C. LUCAS, OF ALLENWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRACE-HITCH.

Application filed. May 7, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THoMAs J. J oHNsoN and JOHN C. Lucas, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Allenwood, in the county of Union and State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and Improved Trace-Hitch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide a device of the character named, ad justable to accommodate traces of various thicknesses; to increase the range of adjustment of the length of the traces; and to facilitate the operation of fastening the traces in operative position.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an end fragment of a swingletree provided with a hitching device constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a detail view in vertical section taken on the line 33 in Fig. 2, showing the movable member of the clamping plates.

As seen in the accompanying drawings, the swingletree A has fastened thereon an end ferrule 8, formed integral with, and at the inner side of, a clamping plate 9. The clamping plate 9 and ferrule 8 are integrally formed with an anchoring strip 10, which extends lengthwise of the swingletree A, and is at the end provided with curved tabs 11, to form a seat to encompass the swingletree A. The strip 10 is suitably perforated to receive any suitable fastening devices, such as nails 12. The end of the strip 10 at the outer side of the plate 9, is spread to accommodate the formation therein of a longitudinally-disposed slot 13. The slot 13 is provided to receive a stud 14, extended from a movable clamping plate 15. The end of the stud 14: is extended through a washer 16 at the under side of the strip 10, and is then headed to hold said washer firmly in position. This construction is seen best in Fig. 3 of drawings. To guide the plate 15 in its movement on the strip 10, and to facilitate the formation of the stud 14, the body of the plate 15 is recessed at each side of the stud 1 1, said recesses being shaped to receive the sides of the strip Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21,1913.

Serial No. 695,675.

10, to be used as a guide for the movement of the plate 15.

The plate 15 is moved to and from the trace B, partly by hand, and partly by means of a lever 17. The movement by hand is that which adjusts the plate 15, to rest lightly against the outer side of the trace B. The pressure which is imposed upon the plate 15 is thereafter produced by a cam spur 18, with which the lever 17 is provided. The lever 17 is furnished with trunnions 19, which form a bearing in perforations provided in the end post 20 formed integral with the strip 10 and perpendicularly extended therefrom at the end of the hitching device. The spur 18 is shortened, to be introduced at the back of the plate 15 when the latter is lightly pressed against the trace B of maximum thickness for which the hitching device is designed. The width or base of said spur 18 is of suflicient length to move the plate 15 to firmly grip the trace of the least thickness for which the hitch is designed. In the position of the hitch where the trace B is gripped, the lever 17, as seen in full lines in Fig. 1, is prone upon the swingletree A, and is in service held in this position by means of a bridle 21. The bridle 21 is pivotally mounted upon studs 22 projected from the edges of the strips 10. The disposition of the studs 22 is such that the bridle 21, when swung to release the lever 17, rests upon the swingletree beyond the end of the lever 17.

The operation of a device thus constructed is as follows:-The trace B is drawn upon, to take up the slack in the trace, and is then laid edgewise between the plates 9 and 15. It will be noted that said plates are curved horizontally, and that the adjacent faces of said plates are vertically ribbed, serrated, or corrugated. The plate 15 is then moved by hand, to lightly rest against the outer side of the trace, and the lever 17 is thrown over on its pivot, the short end of the spur 18 passing behind the plate 15, until the surface of the spur rests lightly on. the upper edge and outer face of the plate 15. From this point until the lever 17 is depressed upon the swingletree A, the increased dimension or cam-like shape of the spur 18 operates to jam or crowd the plate 15 forward against the trace B, and to sink the serrations of both plates into the material of the trace, to firmly grip the same. In this position, the bridle 21 is drawn over the free end of the lever 17 to rest upon, and be engaged by, one of the teeth 23 formed adjacent the free end of the lever 17 It will be understood that in the above operation, should the trace B have a thick ness which would prevent the full deposi tion of the lever upon the swingletree A, the movement of the bridle 21 would accommodate the variation in said movement of the lever 17, the engagement between the bridle and lever having suflicient latitude to accommodate the variation in extent of movement referred to.

l/Vhen it is desired to release the trace from engagement with the hitch, the lever 17 is slightly depressed or swung downward to release the engagement of the teeth 23 thereof with the bridle 21, when the bridle 21 is moved over the free end of the lever 17 to disengage the same. The lever 17 is then drawn to a full released position, such as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, when the plate 15 may be retracted, and the trace B lifted from engagement with the plates 9 and 15.

- It will be seen that the construction is such as would accommodate traces having a great variety in their thickness, and that the length of the trace to suit the service conditions thereof is nicely accommodated. It

will also be seen that with a trace hitch of,

the character described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, the trace is not weakened by the formation therein of perforations to receive and hold a buckle tongue, as is the usual practice.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A trace hitch, comprising a clamping plate adapted to be fixedly mounted on a swinglet-ree, and having a ferrule to receive the end of said swingletree; and an anchoring strip for securing the hitch to said tree; a lever having a cam-shaped spur and pivotally mounted on said anchoring strip, at the outer side of said clamping plate; and a second clamping plate slidably mounted on said anchoring strip, between the pivot of said lever and said first-mentioned clamping plate.

2. A trace hitch, comprising a clamping plate adapted to be fixedly mounted on a swingletree, and having a ferrule to receive the end of said swingletree and an anchoring strip for securing said hitch to said tree;

a lever having a cam-shaped spur and pivotally mounted on said anchoring strip, at the outer side of said clamping plate; a second clamping plate slidably mounted on said anchoring strip, between the pivot of said lever and said first-mentioned clamping plate; and a swinging bridle pivotally mounted on said anchoring strip to engage the free end of said lever when in service position.

3. A trace hitch, comprising a clamping plate adapted to be fixedly mounted on a swingletree, and having a ferrule to receive the end of said swingletree and an 'anchoring strip for securing said hitch to said tree;

a lever having a cam-shaped spur and pivotally mounted on said anchoring strip, at the outer side of said clamping plate; and a second clamping plate slidably mounted on said anchoring strip between the pivot of said lever and said first-mentioned clamping plate, said clamping plates being curved longitudinally and in line with the trace held between said plates in service position.

4:. A. trace hitch, comprising a clamping plate adapted to be fixedly mounted on a swingletree, and having a ferrule to receive the end of said swingletree, and an anchoring strip for securing said hitch to said tree; a lever having a cam-shaped spur and pivotally mounted on said anchoring strip, at the outer side of said clamping plate; a second clamping plate slidably mounted on said anchoring strip, between the pivot of said lever and said first-mentioned clamping plate; and a swinging bridle pivotally mounted on said anchoring strip to engage the free end of said lever when in service position, the upper surface of said lever being provided with teeth to engage said bridle.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS J. JOHNSON. JOHN C. LUCAS.

1V itnesses W ILLIAM 1V. MARSHALL, J. H. lRoxEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

